Portable washing machine



April 3, 1956 J. R. BUCHHoLz PORTABLE WASHING MACHINE Filed sept. 1e, 1952 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent O PRTABLE WASHING MACHINE `italian R. Buchholz, Sarasota, lila.

Application September 16, 1952, Serial No. 309,832

1 Claim. (Cl. 68--132) This invention relates to portable Washing machines and more particularly to a portable attachment which can be mounted on a pail, washtub or other receptacle to constitute a power operated washing machine.

lt is among the objects of the invention to provide a portable washing machine unit which can be conveniently transported in vehicles, such as automobiles, trucks, trailers and boats, or by hand, and can be easily mounted on a receptacle, such as a pail or tub, to constitute a complete, power operated washing machine; which is adjustable to lit receptacles of various sizes and may have selectively different operating speeds for different operating conditions; which includes a continuously rotatable motor, an oscillating agitator and gear means eifective to convert the continuous rotation of the motor into oscillating movements of the agitator; and which is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture, easy to use, and positive and etfective in operation.

Other objects and advantages willbecome apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claim in conjunction with the accompaying rawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a portable washing machine unit illustrative of the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the unit illustrated in Figure 1 with a portion broken away to better illustrate the construction thereof;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional View on an enlarged scale on the line 3-3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on an enlarged scale on the line 2A-4 of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on an enlarged scale on the line 5 5 of Figure 1;v

Figure 6 is a fragemntary `cross sectional view on the line 6 5 of Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the device with parts of the device in a dilferent operative position from that illustrated in Figure 1.

With continued reference to the drawing, the portable washing machine unit co-mprises a hollow housing, generally indicated at il), preferably of cylindrical shape and having a top end il and a bottom end 12. An electric motor, not illustrated, is mounted in the housing il) near the upper end of the latter and has an energizing circuit including an extension cord 13 leading through an opening in the side of the housing to the motor and a manually operated switch 14 mounted on the housing l!) near the upper end of the housing and connected into the circuit supplying energizing current to the motor. A U-shaped bail i5 is secured to the housing 10 near the upper end of the housing and has an intermediate portion extending over the top end ll. of the housing to provide a handle for carrying the unit by hand. p

An agitator shaft 16 is journaled at its upper end in the bottom wall i2 of the housing and depends vertically from the housing when the unit is mounted in its upright, operative position, as illustrated in Figure 1. Suitable 'ice gear means are disposed in the housing 10 drivingly connecting the motor in the housing to the agitator shaft 16 and converting the rotation of the motor into oscillating movements of the agitator shaft. This gear means may include a gear 17 mounted on or directly connected to the motor shaft, a gear 18 mounted on an arbor 19 spaced from the motor shaft and meshing with the gear i7, a gear 20 mounted on the upper end of the agitator shaft 16, a sector gear 21 mounted on an arbor 22 spaced from the agitator shaft and meshing with the gear 20, an arm 23 projecting radially from the sector gear 21 and a link 24 connected at one end to the gear 18 eccentrically of the latter and connected at'its other end to the sector gear arm 23 at the distal end of the arm 23.`

With this arrangement, as the gear i7 rotates and drives the gear iti the link 24 swings the arm 23 and sector gear 2l in an oscillating movement about the arbor 22 of the sector gear and the sector gear imparts an oscillating movement to the gear 2li and the agitator shaft 16.

Agitator paddles, as indicated at 25, 26 and 27 are secured to the agitator shaft 16 and yextend longitudinally of this shaft at a location spaced from the bottom end of the housing lo, and these paddles are spaced at substantially equal angular intervals around the agitator shaft lo.

In the arrangement illustrated, the agitator shaft 16 is provided with three longitudinally extending, under cut grooves 2S, Z9 and 3l) spaced at substantially equal angular intervals therearound and having open ends at the end of the agitator shaft remote from the housing 10, and the agitator paddles 25, 2o and 27 have flanged beads of dovetail cross sectional shape on their edges which beads are slidable into the grooves 2S, 29 and Sil to secure the paddles on the agitator shaft. At its bottom end the agitator shaft is provided with an internally screw threaded recess 3l and a anged cap 32 is threaded into the recess with its annular flange engaging the lbottom ends of the beads on the agitator paddles to secure the beads in the corresponding grooves in the agitator shaft. Y

in the arrangement illustrated, the agitator paddles 25, 26 and 27 are of elongated rectangular shape and each has spaced apart openings of rectangular shape therein and bead formations extending along one side edge vand one end edge thereof. When the device is used with a small receptacle, such as a pail, the agitator blades aie mounted on the agitator shaft with the bead formations along their longitudinal edges received in the` corresponding grooves in the shaft, as illustrated in Figure l', to provide an agitator of minimum diameter.v When the agitator isused in a large receptacle, such as a washtb,

the blades may be secured to the shaft with the bead formations along their end edges received in the corresponding grooves in the shaft lto provide an agitator of maximum diameter, as illustrated in Figure 7'. The gear unit between the motor and the agitator shaft is* preferably arranged to provide two speed units, the higher of which is used when the agitator is assembled in the manner illustrated in Figure l, and the lower of which is used when the agitator is assembled in the manner illustrated in Figure 7.

Three channel shaped brackets 35, 36 and 37 are secured tothe housing l0 at equal angular intervals around the bottom end wall l2 of the housing and each of these brackets provides a pair of spaced apart, apertured'lugs, as indicated at 33 and 39 for the bracket 356.

Three adjustable length legs, as generally indicated at 40, 4l and 42 are pivotally connected, each at one end, to the brackets 35, 3o and 37 respectively, in the manner illustrated in Figure 3. Each leg has at its bracket connected end a tubular section, as indicated at 43 for the leg 4l, and a tubular sleeve 44 extends transversely of the end of the tubular section 43 adjacent the bracket 36 with the longitudinal center line or axis of the sleeve disposed at right angles to, but spaced from the longitudinal center line of the tubular section 43. A pin 45 extends throlf'h the apertured lugs 38 and 39 and through the sleeve formation 44 pivotally connecting the leg 41 to the bracket 36 for swinging movements about an axis .disposed in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal abutments 46 and 47 limiting upward swinging movement of the corresponding leg to a position at which the longitudinal center line of the leg is disposed at an angle of approximately BaO-degrees to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal center line of the housing 10. The other legs 40 and 42 are connected to the corresponding brackets 35 and 37 in a similar manner and are limited by corresponding interengaging abutments to upper limiting positions corresponding to the upper limiting position of the leg 41, as described above.

Each leg is formed of three tubular sections, as indicated at 50, 51 and 52 for the leg 42, and the end of the section 51 adjacent the section S0 is slidably received in the end of the section 50 remote from the bracket 37, while the end of the section 52 adjacent the section 51 is slidably received in the end of the section S1 remote from the section 50.

. As illustrated in Figure 4, the section 51 has an external annular flange 53 on its end received in the section S0 and the section S is internally screw threaded at its end receiving the section 51.

A tapered and longitudinally split gland nut 54 is threaded into the screw threaded end of the tube section 50 and closely surrounds the tube section 51. When this nut is threaded inwardly of the tube section 50, it binds the section 51 against movement relative to the section 50, but when the nut is loosened, the section 51 can be moved longitudinally of the section 50 to vary the length of the leg 42. An external annular tiange 55 surrounds the end of the section 52 received in the section S1 and `the section 51 is also internally screw threaded at its .section 51 and to free the section 52 for movement longitudinally of the section 51 when the nut is loosened to also permit variation of the, length of the leg 42. The legs 40 and 41 are constructed similarly to the leg 42, as described above, so that all of the legs can be adjusted in length and can be reduced to a length not materially greater than the length of the first tubular section, thereof for convenience in transportation and storage and can be extended to the rim of a receptacle of large size, such as a large washtub, when it is desired to mount the washing machine unit on such a receptacle.

Clamp brackets are pivotally mounted, one on the end of each of the legs 40, 41 and 42 remote from the housing 10, the brackets for the legs 41 and 42 being shown in the accompanying drawing and indicated at 57 and 58. As is particularly illustrated in the case of the bracket 58, this bracket comprises a U-shaped body having a pair of spaced apart apertured lugs projecting from its intermediate portion and receiving therebetween the distal end of the'associated leg 42, the leg being pivotally con- The sleeve formation 44 is nected to the bracket'by a pin 59 extending through the bracket lugs and through the Aadjacent end of they leg.

One end of' the bracket constitutes an internally screw threaded sleeve or boss 60 and a clamp screw 61 isk threaded through the boss 60 and has on its end between the sleeve 60 and the opposed bracket end 62 a head 63 which is movable toward the bracket endp62 to clamp the rim o5 a receptacle between this end of the bracket and the screw head 63. A handle 64 in the form of a wing nut is mounted on the other end of the screw for rotating the screw to thread it through the screw 60. The brackets on the legs 40 and 41 are similar in construction and operation to theA bracket 58 on ,the leg 42, as described above.V

The device can be carried or stored in a compactly folded condition when not in use and, when its use is esired, it can be quickly and easily mounted on the rim of a suitable receptacle with the agitator disposed within the receptacle to agitato laundry placed with wash water in the receptacle.

A hook 65 is provided on the housing 10 to receive the extension cord 13 when the device is not in use, and the` motor is preferably arranged to utilize either direct or alternating current, sothat the device can be used in dilerent locations by a person traveling from place to place.

The invention may be embodied in other specilic forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to

be considered inall respects asvillustrative and not re-l strictive, the scopel of the invention being indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claim are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is: s A portable washing machine unit for mounting on a receptacle' comprising a housing, an oscillatable shaft extending longitudinally of said housing and having one end portion projecting from the latter, said one end portion of said shaft being provided with a plurality of mounting means arranged in spaced relation therearound, an` agitator paddle having means adapted for mounting either longitudinally or transversely of said shaft detachably receivable in each of 'said mounting means of said shaft, a plurality of legsexteriorly of said housing and projecting at spaced apart locations from said housing, each of said legs having one end pivotally connected to said housing and having the other end provided with a clamp for detachable connection to an edge-of a receptacle.

References .Cited the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 696,562 Hartman Apr. 1, 1902 1,206,174 Trau t Nov. 28, 1916 1,446,980 Maples Feb. 27, 1923 1,661,763 Labisky Mar. 6, 1928 1,737,421 Hirschy Nov. 26, 1929 1,917,867 Barker July 11, 1933 2,025,840 Wright Dec. 31, 1935 2,100,929 Weinhart Nov. 30, 1937 2,134,048 Kessel Oct. 25, 1938 2,203,664 Benson June 1l, 1940 2,277,087 Erhart Mar. 24, 1942V FOREIGN PATENTS 1 698,236 France Nov. 17, 1930 813,842 Germany Sept. 17, 1951 

